


Before you go

by Mo-hot-ve (LocalAngelTracker)



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: AU in which James was a Follower, And he and Edward were friends, Based on the work of my lovely girlfriend, Pre-Game setting, post fallout 2 in the timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-04 23:26:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18822925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LocalAngelTracker/pseuds/Mo-hot-ve
Summary: An argument breaks out between James and Edward the night before he leaves to go east with Calhoun and Graham. Some words you can never take back, but some people you can never change.





	Before you go

**Author's Note:**

> Go read my girlfriend’s work. It’s a good study of Edward and James’ characters. Plus it’s free cannon real estate 
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/series/1173452

“Grow up” it had been a slip of the tongue, an innocent enough mistake of innocent enough words. It wasn’t like anyone would take such offense to such a small thing, but most people didn’t have the temperament of Edward sallow either.

“Grow up?!” He demands, turning with hands on hips to fume at his friend, James River, who had merely wanted Edward to think rationally for once. “This could be the most important trip into the unknown in the whole history of the Followers! For all we know there’s some hidden community out there that knows how to make more effective stimpacks or hydra that doesn’t fuck up your bones!”

“I’m not saying what you’re doing couldn’t be potentially good” James grinds out, hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose and will away his headache” But it’s hard to take you seriously when you’re rambling about how much you’ll be like some dead forgotten Roman marching to Spain. Besides, Edward, you know you’re needed here. What about your mom? Or the other followers? Your trip isn’t approved, it’s practically desertion!” He insists, trying to get his friend to see reason, but Ed, ever stubborn, only grinds in.

“First, Julius Caesar is not some dead forgotten Roman. Second, those idiots in charge won’t approve me because they know I’m right! They’re just afraid of anything that isn’t the same as what they think! When I come back with something amazing they won’t make me clean test tubes and bandages, they’ll respect me! Bill believes in me, and we have that Mormon guy to help guide us! But you don’t like anything unless it’s about you” Ed acuses, arms folding over his chest” If you had your way I’d spend the rest of my life in your shadow!” 

“ That’s not true and you know it! Bill is only going because you bullied him into it I’m sure. You aren’t under my shadow, you’re standing in the shade of your own ego” James tosses his hands up in the air, spinning around to do the one thing that will truly get under Edward’s skin, pretending to ignore him. And so James does just that, moving back to his work bench dismissively while he waits for Edward to stomp out. 

He can hear Edward grumbling behind him, spitting curses under his breath at his turned back. They did this more often now than James would like to admit. Once upon a time they had been friends. Now they find themselves at each other’s throats over the littlest things. Where things had started to change, James couldn’t say. Just when he thinks Edward is about to stomp out, the man instead speaks.

“I don’t see how what I’m doing is any different that you going to the east with that brotherhood group. I know your trip wasn’t approved either. Now who’s the glory hound” he spits, words purposely made to hurt and James gives in to his own temper to turn around.

“I’m going to help people Edward, not look for a fucking dead empire in the deserts of Arizona. But you know what? Sure, go out with Bill and Graham and find nothing. Meanwhile, I’ll be working to give people clear water and a better life. The best part is, I won’t be here when you fail and come crawling back, so don’t worry about any shadow of mine Edward Sallow” he snarls, temper reaching it’s peak. 

Edward doesn’t even have the decency to look phased by James’ angry words. “Someday I’m going to make you regret turning your back on me” he answers back coldly” I’ll make every single one of you regret it” It’s a cold and calculated promise, in a voice like Janes has never heard from Edward before. 

As he’s struggling to find the words to reply, the other man leaves the tent just as dismissively as James has tried to ignore him to make him mad. He may not know where Edward had changed, but he certainly didn’t want to stick around to see what cane next. He could only hope that Bill would see reason or even more hopefully, Edward wouldn’t find a thing in that desert.


End file.
